Curtain-fixture



(NoModel.) 8 Sheets-Sheet I.

` P. B. SMITH. Curtain Fixture.

No. 241,743. Patented may 17,1881.

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P. B. SMITH.

Curtain Fixture. Y

(N0 Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheer, 3, P'. B. SMITH. Curtain Fixture.

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W'Znee@ i, @WWA UNITED STATES j PATENT OFFICE.

PRESLEY B. SMITH, OF KEYSEE, WEST VIRGINIA.

CURTAIN- FIXTURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,743, dated May 17, 1881. Application filed March 8, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I PRESLEY B. SMITH, of Keyser, vcounty of Mineral, State of West Vir ginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain-Fixtures, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a-front` elevation of a windowframe and cirtain or shade withmyimproved fixtures app ied. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the curtain removed to show the adj ustable curtain-holder and the appliances for adjusting the same. A Fig. Sis a side elevation ofthe devices shown inf Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a vertical transverse section `taken through the cord sheave or pulley. Fig. `5 is afroutvew of the grooved roller, showing the means for fastening the shade thereto; and Fig. Grepresents the same in section. Fig. 7 represents a section through theroller-sheave and its attachments in line with the roller `pivot or shaft.

Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views, showing the cam tain-roller can be adjusted and held at any de sired height upon the window-casing, and to the means for effecting the adjustment of the shade or curtain itself; and it consists, first, in a novel arrangementof j guides in the adjustable curtain-holdenin connection with a single cord for adjusting thesame simultaneously at both ends, wherebysaid cord is `made to cross the window through and `to `move in guides in the holder; second, in a novel means for adjusting the cord for preserving the horizontal relation of the adjustable curtain-holder, i or, in other words, for adjusting the heightof said holder at either end; "third, in a novel construction of brackets `for supporting and stretching the guide rods or wires on which theadjustable curtain-holder moves; fourth, in anovel construction of the sliding rollerbrackets, whereby they are adapted to be used either on the outer face of the casing or upon` the inneropposite walls thereof, and with any of theroller-xtures in common use, whether cord or spring roller, and also in connection with the specific curtain adj ListingV devices hereinafter described; and, lastly, in a novel construction of roller sheave or pulley and of the pawl-and-ratchet `devices connected therewith, all as vhereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the adjustable bar or holder, to the ends of which the supporting-brackets in which the shaft or pivot of the curtain-roller works are secured. The left-hand or slotted bracket is shown in Fig. 3, and in perspective view, Fig. 10, at B, and is similar in form to the righthand bracket B', except that the latter is merely perforated to form a bearingior the roller-pivot at that end, while the bracket B is slotted to facilitate the removal and replacing of the roller. These brackets are by preference stamped up from thin metal into the required form, having sockets formed in their adjacent ends for the reception ot' the ends of bar A,and horizontal or curved flanges on their upper and lower edges at b b b2, which form stiffening-ribs, the two, b b, on the longitudinal part of the bracket serving also as ledges to act on the cam-pawl plate lor disk, herein after described. The bracket is made in the angular or bell-crank form representedin Fig. 10, the part B2 projecting forward from and at right angles to the part secured to the bar A, as shown, and the bearings therein for. the roller-pivots are similar to those used in connection with the ordinary or spring roller, either of which may be used, if desired, the slot at c serving as a bearingfor the roller-pivot or to hold the iiattened shank on the end of a spring-roller against rotation where the latter `and forcing `or stamping the metal between said slits outward, forming guiding loops or eyes, as shown, the arrangement of the loops at the back and also at the ends of the brackets being for the `purpose of adapting them to be applied either to guide-rods on the outer IOO aga-inst the casing for securing the curtain-- face ofthe window-Casin g or between the jambs, as may be required. The flanges b have perforations formed in them at d d cl2 for the retention and passage of the adjusting-cord, also formed to adapt the bracket to be used in either relation to the window-casing, as will be eX- plained.

To the window-casing, eitneron its outer face, as shown, or between the jambs, are secured two pulley-brackets, E E, bent into the quadrangular form shown in Figs. 3, 4, and l2, so as to nearly surround the pulley e, leaving an opening between the side against the casing and the outer end at c' to facilitate the removal and replacing of the cord, While at the same time the form of the bracket prevents accidental displacement of said cord, the ends of the grooved sheave or pulley ittin g snugly against the vertical walls ofthe bracket in which the pulley-shaft has its bearings. The lower horizontal part of the bracket has a longitudinal slot, c2, formed in it, through which a hook or pin,f, on the upper end of the guide rod or wire F, is inserted, and the rod is then turned so as to bring the hook or pin at right angles to the slot and behind a small spur, e3, which serves to hold the rod engaged with the bracket.

The lower ends ofthe guide-rods F F' have each a loop formed upon it, which passes through an eye in the upper end of a tensionbracket, G. This bracket G is made in form substantially as shown in Fig. ll-that is to say, with anges or feet g, through which it is secured to the casing. and which serves to hold the lower end of rod F at the required distance from the window-casing. The lower end of this bracket is made in the forni of a flat sprin recurved upon itself, as shown, and provided on its inner portion with laterally-projecting outwardly-inclined spurs g g2, behind which the adjusting-cord hereinafter referred to is wedged holder at any desired height, the recurved end of the spring G also serving to grasp and hold the cord when passed around and behind it. The rods F are first passed through the eyes cl or c2 in the roller-bracket B, then engaged with the sheave-brackets E, as explained, after which the brackets Gr are forced downward until the rods F are drawn straight and taut, so as to properly guide and steady the holder A, and then secured to the casing.

The cord 7c, for adjusting the holder when the guide-rods are secured upon the outer face of the casing, as shown, is secured at one end to the right-hand bracket, B, and passes up through the perforation therein corresponding to the perforation d in the left-hand bracket shown in Fig. 10; thence up over the pulley in bracket E', and down through the perforations corresponding to d to the lower' face of bar A, through guiding-eyes a a or grooved friction-rollers thereon to the opposite or leftroller or through an eye, i', with which the hand rope or cord is connected, as shown; thence up' through the adjusting-buckle h again, and thence up through the perforations d, over the pulley E, and down through 'the perforation d', where its end is secured to the roller-bracket B. By this arrangement it will be seen that the one cord is carried from end to end ofthe holder, passing through guides in said holder, the horizontal portion crossing the window, traveling up and down with and hidden by said holder, instead of being carried across on the window-frame, as heretofore, and a single cord is made to adjust both ends of the bar simultaneously.

The pendent loop passing through the eye or hand-piece 'i is adjusted for raising or low-.. ering the holder A by means of a pendent'cord, 7c', which may be caught upon the spurs g', and spring G, as explained, for securing the .holder at any desired adjustment.

The buckle h consists of a slotted plate having three transverse bars, and the cord passes through the slots or openings between said bars, over or in front of the outer and behind the inner one, which criin ps and binds the cord, so as to hold the loop in the cord when adj usted in the hand-piece or eye i, for raising or lowering either end of the bar A. The middle bar, h', has an eye or loop formed upon or in it, in which the guide-rod F rests, the buckle moving on said rod.

The curtain-roller L has alongitudinal groove formed in it extending from end to end, and within this groove is fitted a small rod or wire, Z, stretched tightly between the end disks on which the roller-pivots are formed and secured thereto or in the ends of the roller in any convenient way. In securing the curtain to the roller the rod is forced outward sufficient to allow the end of the curtain to be passed under it, as shown, and one or more small staples, l', are then driven through the curtain into the roller astride the rod Z, and serve to cause the latter to clamp the end of thecurtain firmly throughout its entire width. This method'of securing the curtain to the roller prevents the tearing awa-y of the curtain, so common Where the usual method of securing by tacks is employed.

M is the sheave or spool on which the cord which actuates the roller is wrapped, one end of the cord being secured to the spool by passing through an eye therein, as shown in Fig. 4. The spool is by preference made in a single piece, having the end flanges, m mf, and the squared axial perforation for the reception of the square shank a of the roller-pivot N, said squared shank passing through the spool or sheave into the roller, as shown in Fig. 7, and insuring the rotation of the latter with the sheave and shaft. The pivot N, outside of the squared portion, is rounded, and a shoulder at the junction of the rounded with the squared portion abuts against the outer end of the spool, and at a short distance from said end" the pivot has a collar, n', formed upon it, between which IOO IIS

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and the end of the spoolis a cam plate or disk, P,

having acurved central slot at p, adapting it to move laterally relatively to the pivot N. This plate has two eccentric formations or cams, p' and 102,011 its rearface or edge, the one, p', moving in contact with the upper iiange, b, on the roller-bracket and serving to crowd the camplate forwardforforcingapawl or stop, q, thereon into engagement with a ratchet-disk, which, in this instance, is the outer flange, m', of the roller-sheave. The other cam, p2, faces in the reverse direction, and acts against the lower flange, b', for raising the cam-plate and forcing the stop q away from the ratchet-disk m. The plate P has an angular arm or lever on its forward edge, the portion P thereof overhangin g the sheave M being slotted to permit the passage of the cord R from the sheave th rough it, as shown in Fig. 4. By this arrangement it will be seen that by pulling" down on the cord the cam-plate will be crowded back, forcing the cam p2 against the iange b, when, by the rotary movement of the cam due to the action i plained, is operated by a lifting-cam formedV ofthe cord, the stop q will be lifted out ofengagement with the ratchet-disk m', and the roller can be actuated for raising or lowering the shade, as desired, after which, by slacking or drawing outward on the cord-R the movement of the cam-plate P is reversed, and the cam p', riding against the flange b, wedges the stop q outward into engagement with the ratchet-disk m for holding the roller with the shade at the desired adjustment.

By the construction and arrangement of parts, as described, it will be seen that the curtain-roller can be adjusted and held at any desired height on the window-casing,"and that the adjustment of the curtain can be readily effected under any adjustment of the curtainholder.

The several brackets and cam and ratchet plates are preferably stamped up into the required form from `thin metal, as described; but they may, if desired, be cast, the former plan, however, giving the required strength with the least weight of metal. l

I am aware that a slotted pawl-plate has been arranged on the roller-pivot and fulcrumed in front of. Said pivot on a pin 0r spur formed on the end bracket, upon which it was vibrated with a rocking movement to lift the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet-disk; but in such construction its movement was necessarilyimpartedto the roller, backing the same before the pawl could clear the ratchetdisk; whereas in my construction the slotted plate, besides being permanently secured to and made removable with the roller, as exupon it in rear of and below the roller-pivot, and operates by sliding on a flange on the bracket, as explained;` to directly lift the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet-disk, and thus avoid, to a great extent, the backing of the curtain-roller prior to releasing it. In the construction referred to it was necessary also that the slotted plate should be arranged always in the same close proximity with the end bracket; whereas in mine its distance from the end bracket may vary without interfering with its operation, as the flange on the bracket may be of any desired length, while the pin or spur referred to must necessarily be short to avoid interference with the roller-sheave.

Having now described my invention, I

claim j l. The adjustable shade-holder provided with guides for the adjusting-cord, adapting the latter to cross the window-frame on said holder, substantially as described.

2. The single cord connected with both ends of the sliding holderl to which thecurtainfroller brackets are connected, in combination with the slide or buckle for adjusting the ends of the holder.

3. rlhe adjustable roller-brackets provided with guiding loops or eyes on both their rear faces and ends, whereby they are adapted to move on guide rods or ways applied eitherto the inner face of the casing or to the adjacent opposing sides thereof, substantially as described.

4. The dan ged and perforated sliding rollerbracket B, provided with the guiding loops or eyes on its rear face and end and with the open slotted bearing, substantially as described, as a new article of manufacture.

5. The angular slotted brackets in which thepulleys over which the cord works for adj usting the slidin g curtain-holder are mounted, in combination with the guide-rods on which said holder moves, having hooks or spurs for engaging them with said brackets, substantially as described.

6. The brackets to which the lower ends of the guiding-rods for the sliding curtain-holder are secured, provided with the recurved spring and spurs for securing the cord through which said holder is adjusted, substantially as described.

7. The slotted cam-plate pivoted upon the roller-shaft and attached to the roller-sheave, and provided with the lifting-cam arranged and operating substantially as described.

S. The cam-plate pivoted on the roller-shaft and provided with a stop or pawl for engaging the. ratchet-disk on said shaft, and with the lifting-cam and the arm or lever, whereby its pawl is thrown out of engagement with the ratchet-disk by tension on the cord actuating the roller-shaft, substantially as described.

9. The combination ot' the anged rollerbrackets, the ratchet-disk on the roller-sheave, and the cam plate or disk having the stop or pawl and the cam for forcing said stap into engagement with the disk, arranged and operating substantially as described.

PRESLEY B. SMITH.

Witnesses:

ALEX. MAHON, JOHN G. CARTER.

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